Rocket device



Jan. 4, l1949.` c. c. vI AURVI'SEN ETAL ROCKET DEVICE Filed April 2,1943 l km mii wvENToRs C ARLES ,I c. MUR/73E Patented Jan. 4, 1949Unirse rar-enr: t;

Llenar (Dalit,b assgnors topthe; UnitedeStates-iofi; Americaeasrearesented brathaSecretarnoitther Application Apr-i132,1943;.-SerialNb'.- 483365@ Clams; (Cl. 19g-419% ThisA inventioni relatesLto `rocket devices.:4 ofv the typegwhichincludesza,rocketmotorconnected at its front endI to. a .pay loady adaptedzto be propelled bythe motor; More, particularly, the' invention relatesto a noveldeviceofthisitype. having Vmeans frm automaticallyY separatingv therrocket motorfrom the pay load during the night-of. thedevice and after the drivingforce of the motor issub'- -stantially expended.v Theinewt rocket deviceis simple and compact` in construction' and positive inaction.

Oneobj ect: of4 the invention resides in. the provision of arocketpropelleddevice having a rocket motor' and arpayfload j oinedzby.a-.releasable-,connection. which is broken' bythe: propelling force ofthe motorgandmeans forpositively separating the' motor and pay loadaftertheflatt'er hasbeen accelerated by the motor. In accordancewith .myinvention,. the: motor andI thel pay Aload are joined byarelea'sableconnection .including 'a pair of relatively movablemembersfwhich-arenormally held together by ashearpin; orth'e like: Whenthe rocket is'red, the propelling forceshears-fthe pin and causes theconnecting members-tomove relatively against-the action" of aspringuntilthe forward movement'v of? the vmotorrelative to Vthe pay loadisarrestedi As-`v a' lresult; th'e spring:` isf stressed bythepropellingforce; and` when-the acceleration ofthe pay'loadb'y the motoris come pleted,` the energy stored in thejspring causes the connectingmembersjto"Mn'love' apart and forjcibly separates the motor andthe'payloadjso-that' the latter continues its /iiight without' encumbrance bythe spent motor.` With thisyconstruotion', the spring notonlyJseparat'esthe* motor from the payload when thgdrivingforce of the motor. isexpended, .but` alsov cushionsv theapplication of; the initial'drvingforce to the payloadandadd's a slight additional impulse.tothepyloadfinsep.- arating, itfrom the motor.

Another., object. of the, invention l.is to. provide a novel rocket,devicehavngacornbustibleeharget driven ,by the .rocket motor, and timedelay'meansf forj ignitingthe chargeand.v operabl'eby: the pro-npelling, force ,off themotor. In;V the. preferred,v con struction, oneof the relatively movable members` inthe connection `between the motor`and the'cornbustible chargeqactuates: a: ring .Din-. tojoperate`asemifcap; or. theflike;,upon.initial:relativegmovee ment of. thernembersz-whenfjthezconnectingv ,pi-n" is:shearedgby` ring of' the-lmotor. .f The; semifcap; thenistartsa delayed actioniuzeftrain to,yignite they combustible. charge:`

Theseand; other i objects:V effi theiinventionf-maysbeffbetterunderstoodibyreeren-ce:to the' accom-y panying; drawing;inswhiolrE Fig.; 1' L is: a side?V View` of: ionen formi .ofiathemewirocket device;-

Figa 3 "is atsectionalrvieworr thei- -liirez-t-f in.y Fig-125,;

The;1 rocket device: .ofv..my:1invention; as5illus trat-ed;isfinxthezformoiiaajetrprnpelled oat' light; althoughzitwill.i.be..-understoadi tirati-thaiinventionymaysrtakeoth'er"formsiasawell;; Thedevicef-.is-parJ-- titular-ly;adaptedv for. use .ini-airplanes, fr'omzwhich: thefloat light.; I IJmayfbezprojected.rearwardlylby the rockeizlmotor I I a to;offseizthe;forwardwelocity' of the airplane, whereby the float lightfa-l-lsesubff: stantiallyevertically.4 tasmark; a tsp otidir'eetlyb elowther-airplane anthe instantithe rocket. iss''red. 1'

Referring1 tot -ther.-..drawingsg'-,V the. device: there showincomprises: af generally cupesiiapedgreeepe tacler I2 whichzisgopeniatitsfrfnl'nntrenid;4 wher itis' formedz Witin a-:sueket:I2atfbr1receivin'gff thegrean endiofztlie: float. light; :I Il',l.theilatterrbeingzsecured tot'thelreceptacle in anyfsuitablefmanner:Iniits rea-ra end, th`e:re'ceptacle: I 2;.iszp1'ovideduw-itlr'ia hol lowaxialibosafl fpro'jectingiintfos thesgreceptacle;

anda; percussion' cap: I zextends'through th'efront endet the'.bossandL-has azheadfseated onaabslieulg der- .I 3ain thezbossaf.rThepercussincapxigadapted? to be iired by a ring pin I5 slidable in theboss andi normally urgedA rearwardly awayfirom: the cap` byv a.compression;r` springe I 63;, Wlreni theapera cussion cap'isiredbythepinliit igniteszmd'ei-r layedaction fusetraini (notfshown) intherecept tacle: I2 to initiate-burning; ofthe: combustible chargeiiifrvthe iioat light.- IIl. 1 The.- d'elayedl action: fuse train maybe,off'anyfdesiredftypeand forms nofpart ofi tli'eapresentinvention;v

The bossl I3'is openwat' it'sre'ar end-and liaswi: sleeve. I8 threadedtherein,.thesleeveandltle boss,

formingia oylinder'i'n thereceptacle. A`- plungerf I9 is slidable in thecylinder and-istnormallyfconfnecte'd to the sleevebyzaishearlpinzZUtf:Th'eplungerhasia head 21 at itstre'ar end,and`fa;;compres sion spring`22 isf coiled.. aroundf theifplunger:-- lbetweenthe head'- andtherearendfof the-sleeve-IB; A' safety.- pini 23::extends transverselythroughi the" sleeve and the; plunger andisvheld in .positionsby areleasables wire-s 24 toi-lock; thezplunger inethe.

sleeve.`

The oat .light receptacle I2-is` adaptents to be propelled by the:`rocket motorHl whichfzmayfbe of. 'any desired reconstruction; Il?.'referably-. the. motori: is: ofi,l thetype .discloseds ins.anice-pending, applicationof; C.' 'Iriauritsen;@SerialNoirfitdi;A

3 led April 2, 1943. More particularly, the motor comprises a hollowcylindrical body 21, which may be made of seamless tubing, threaded atits front end into the plunger head 2|. Within the motor body is acylindrical powder grain 28, such as ballistite, having an axial passage28a. The powder grain is provided on its outer cylindrical surface withspaced longitudinal ribs 29 tting closely against the inner wall of themotor body so as to support the grain in concentric relation therewith.In the front end of the body 21 is an igniter comprising a cylindricalcasing 30, which may be made of a plastic material, having at its rearend a reduced portion 3| substantially smaller in cross Vsection thanthe Ygrain passage 28a, the reduced portion 3| being alined with thepassage. The casing 30 is supported in the motor body on longitudinalribs 32 integral with the casing and closely engaging the inner wall ofthe motor body. The ribs 32 are preferably alined with the grain ribs 29and project rearwardly beyond the end of the casing 30 to engage thefront end of the powder grain, whereby the grain is normally spaced fromthe casing 3D to provide an. annular chamber around the reduced endportion 3|. An electrically operable squib (not shown) is disposed inthe casing 3B and its end portion which may also contain flash powder orblack powder, or both, to expedite ignition of the grain. It will beunderstood that when the vigniter 30 is energized, .the resulting blastis communicated through the reduced end portion 3I and the surroundingannular chamber to the grain passage 28a and also to the space betweenthe external ribs 29, sothat the powder grain burns simultaneously onall surfaces.

At its rear end, the powder grain 28 is supported by a grid 33 which maybe made up of two pairs of spaced, interconnected metal strips, eachpair extending at right angles to the other, whereby the strips define asubstantially square central opening alned with the grain passage 28a.The ends of the grid strips t closely against the inner wall of themotor body so as to support the grid with its central opening in linewith the passage 28a. A discharge nozzle 34 is mounted in the rear endportion of the motor body and abuts against the adjacent end of thegrid, the nozzle being located axially in the motor by a shoulder 35.

The igniter 3G is adapted to be energized through wiring 38 extendingthrough the grain passage 28a, the grid 33 and the nozzle 33, the outerends of the wires being connected to a plug 31. Preferably, a bre plug38 is inserted in the nozzle 34 to seal the interior of the motor bodyand is provided with suitable slots for passage of the wires. In orderto prevent accidental energizing of the igniter, the prongs of theelectrical plug 31 are normally short-circuited by a shorting element 39which is removed from the prongs prior.

to ring the rocket.

In the use of the new rocket device, the as sembly including the motor II and the float light I0 is mounted on a suitable projector or guidewhich may be arranged in a cylindrical casing on the airplane. Thecasing is open at its'outer end, which faces to the rear of theairplane, and may have a door through which the assembly is inserted.The shorting element 39 is removed from the plug 31, and the latter` isinserted in a socket (not shown) which may be connected through asuitable operating switch to the current source. After mounting theassembly in the projector, the safety pin 23 is removed by twisting itto break the wire 24, so that the motor is connected to the oat lightreceptacle I2 only by the shear pin 20.

When the device is to be red, the operating switch is actuated to closethe energizing circuit through the plug 31 and the igniter 33, whereuponthe powder grain is ignited and propels the assembly along the projectorguide in a direction opposite to the direction of flight oi" theairplane, breaking the wires 36. As soon as the motor II exerts aSubstantial propelling force on the receptacle I2, it shears the pin 2liand forces plunger I9 into the ,boss I3 against the action of springs I6and 22. As a result, the springs are further compressed and the ring pinI5 is forced against the percussion cap Ill so as to fire the latter andstart the fuse train in receptacle I2. When the powder grain 28 iscompletely burned and the motor no longer exerts a propelling force onthe oat light, the compressed spring 22 expands and moves plunger I9 outoi the sleeve I8, thereby forcibly separating the motor from thereceptacle Ill. Thereafter, the float light including receptacle I2falls into the water and provides illumination due to ignition of thecombustible charge through operation of the delayed fuse train from thepercussion cap I4. The float light may be provided with ns Illa forguiding it in its flight.

The motor I I is preferably designed to develop propelling powersuiiicient to project the rocket assembly rearwardly from the airplaneat a velocity substantially equal to the forward velocity of the'airplane, so that when the iioat light is separated from the motor byexpansion of the spring 22, it drops into the water at a point directlybelow the position of the airplane when the rocket was fired. Thus, itis unnecessary for the operator to anticipate passage'of the airplaneover a target area, and he simply energizes the igniter 341 when theairplane is directly over the area.

The compression spring 22 serves the dual function of cushioning theapplication of the motor propelling force to the oat light and forciblyseparating the motor from the receptacle y.I2 when the motor is spent.vAlso, in separating the motor from the receptacle I2, the spring 22provides a slighty additional forward impulse to the float light. Theplunger I3 not only permits forward movement of the motor toward thefloat light against the spring 22, under the initial impulsel 0f themotor, but also actuates the ring pin I5 to fire the detonating cap I.

We claim:

l. A rocket device comprising a payload, a rocket motor to the rear ofthe payload, a releasable connection between the payload and the motorincluding a pair of members movable relatively in one direction toaccommodate forward movement of the motor toward the payload when themotor is fired, an operating elementV carried by the payload, meansactuated by movement of one of said members for initiating operation ofsaid element, and means for moving said members relatively in theopposite direction, upon a decrease in the propelling force of themotor, and

thereby forcibly separating the Vmotor from the payload.

2. A rocket device comprising a container adapted to receive acombustible charge and having a cylinder in itsl rear end portion, arocket motor to the rear of the container, a releasable connectionbetween the motor and the container including a plunger adapted to beconnected to the motor, slidable into the cylinder to accommodatemovement of the motor toward the' containerfand to permit the forwardlymoved motor to so remain during the firing of the motor, a percussioncap operable to fire into the container to initiate cornbustion of thecharge, a ring pin in the cylinder actuated by the plunger to re thecapand means for separating the motor from the container during theinitial night of the device upon a decrease in the propelling force 0fthe motor.

3. A rocket device comprising a container adapted to receive acombustible charge and having a cylinder in its rear end portion, arocket motor to the rear of the container, a releasable connectionbetween the motor and the container including a plunger adapted to beconnected to the motor, to be slidable into the cylinder to accommodatemovement of the motor toward the container and to permit the forwardlymoved motor to so remain during the ring of the motor, a percussion capoperable to nre into the container to initiate combustion of the charge,a iiring pin in the cylinder actuated by the plunger to fire the cap, aspring in the cylinder normally urging the ring pin away from the capand a second spring positioned between the motor and the containeradapted to forcibly separate the motor from the container during theinitial night of the said rocket device upon a decrease in thepropelling force of the motor.

4. A rocket device comprising a container adapted to receive acombustible charge and havr;

ing a cylinder in its rear end portion, a rocket motor to the rear ofthe container, a releasable connection between the motor and thecontainer including a plunger connected to the motor and slidable intothe cylinder to accommodate move- :n3

6 into the cylinder and operable to move the plunger out of thecylinder, upon a decrease in the propelling force of the motor, andthereby forcibly separate the motor from the container.

5. A rocket device comprising a container adapted to receive acombustible charge, a rocket motor to the rear of the container, aresilient, releasable connection between the motor and the containerincluding a pair of telescoping members one of which is movable into theother and a spring positioned around the one member operable between themotor and the container, a percussion cap adapted to fire into thecontainer to initiate combustion of the charge and a ring pin actuatedby the one member to fire the cap, the said resilient, releasableconnection adapted to permit a sustained forward movement of the motorwith respect to the container during the firing of the motor and toseparate the motor from the container during the initial flight of therocket device upon a decrease in the propelling force of the motor.

CHARLES C. LAURITSEN. JOHN MCMORRIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 562,535 Hurst June 23, 18961,879,840 Brandt Sept. 27, 1932 2,315,145 Wauters Mar. 30, 1943 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 16,795 Great Britain Mar. 27, 1919 102,699Great Britain Dec. 2l, 1916 305,160 Germany Mar. 3, 1920

